"Don't rush, take your time to think about it. After all, Power still has three days."
"If you make up your mind, give me a call."
Noriyuki Natsume said, climbing up into the back of the cargo truck.
"Hey, come help me throw the Dog Devil's corpse down."
"Oh, right." Arata snapped back to reality, climbed into the back, and hauled the Dog Devil's corpse out of the truck.
"Take your time to think it over. We've known each other for over a year, I definitely won't scam you."
Noriyuki smiled, patting Arata's shoulder to reassure him.
He then jumped down from the truck. "Alright, hurry up and get down. I need to drive back, otherwise my boss is going to find out I snuck out."
Arata acknowledged him and jumped down, standing beside the Dog Devil's corpse.
As the truck drove off, Noriyuki didn't forget to stick his head out the window to remind him, "Remember to let me know early, or I'll give this job to someone else!"
Arata walked around the Dog Devil's corpse, drawing a circle on the ground.
In just a moment, the spell took shape.
The Dog Devil's corpse gradually sank into the earth.
In turn, Arata's hearing and sense of smell received a twofold enhancement.
"I'm back."
Arata opened the door and entered the apartment.
The room felt cold and quiet. Aki Hayakawa sat in a chair, smoking a cigarette. The ashtray on the table was already completely overflowing with butts.
"Where did you go?"
"Went to see a friend. Is Denji asleep?"
"Not yet. But we're planning to go see Power tomorrow."
"Good idea. It's best if we tell her the news that she might die."
"That's exactly what I intended."
Having exchanged their thoughts, Arata returned to his room.
The next day, everyone woke up early.
Arata and the group took Yuumi to visit Power.
The moment they reached the entrance of the cell block, they heard relentless shouting coming from inside.
"Let the great me out right now!"
"The great me wants to get out!!!"
"Please, I'm begging you, just shut up."
"What the great me says is none of your business!" Power glared fiercely at the inmate who had just spoken.
"You've been screaming all night, are you going to let us sleep or not?! We might be prisoners, but we still have human rights," another inmate complained in frustration.
"You tell them to let the great me out, and I'll stop yelling."
"If I had that kind of power, I'd let myself out first."
"Since you don't have the power, don't stop the great me from talking!"
"Somebody!! Let me out!!!"
Power completely ignored her fellow inmates, screaming and yelling to her heart's content.
That was until the corridor door was opened, and Arata's group walked in.
"Aki Hayakawa, you're torturing us on purpose, aren't you!!"
"I only groped a woman's ass on the train, is there really a need to be this cruel to me?!"
Seeing Aki appear, the inmates practically demanded an explanation in unison.
"Hurry up and let me out, I'll confess to everything!"
"I request to be moved back to my old cell! I'd rather stay with my ex-cellmate!"
"Everyone shut up. Power is going back in a few days," Denji announced.
"How many days until she goes back?!" Everyone perked up their ears, desperately hoping that day would come sooner.
"Just a day or two."
"Thank God. Hurry up and send her away."
"Hey! Did you guys bring me anything to eat?!" Power yelled, shaking her body.
"We brought roast chicken and the kitty."
Meow.
Arata placed the cage holding Yuumi not far from Power, hoping the cat's presence would help her recover faster.
"My Yuumi! I haven't pet it in so long! Can you untie the great me?"
"Sure. But between the apple and the roast chicken, which one do you want to eat?"
Arata held an apple in his left hand and the roast chicken in his right.
Power's eyes instantly locked onto the apple. Her previously calm expression shifted completely. "Give the great me the apple! Hurry up and let me eat it!!"
"It's over. A whole night and she hasn't recovered in the slightest." Arata shook his head helplessly.
"What do we do now? Is killing the Poppy Devil really the only way to cure Power?" The group's initial hopes were instantly shattered.
"Here's the roast chicken. We'll come see you another day."
Arata tossed the roast chicken into the cell. As it fell, Power caught it perfectly with her mouth.
Two days passed.
Himeno had asked around extensively, yet there was still absolutely zero news regarding the Poppy Devil.
Seeing that today was the final day, the group was growing incredibly anxious.
"How is Power?" Himeno asked.
"As soon as she sees an apple, she goes crazy. There hasn't been a single change over the past few days."
"Then just don't let her see apples?"
"But once she gets out, she'll frantically search for them, and might even attack us."
"Going by that... Power is dead for sure."
"We can't give up. Let's ask Miss Makima, maybe she knows," Denji said.
"I already asked. Miss Makima doesn't know."
"Then what about pleading with Miss Makima? Ask her to wait a bit longer and not kill Power."
"You can go try," Aki said flatly.
Up until now, besides killing the Poppy Devil, this was their only option.
Knock, knock, knock!!
"Enter."
Denji pushed the door open and walked in with a smile. "Miss Makima."
"Denji, what brings you to me so suddenly?"
"It's about Power." Denji looked flushed, nervously shuffling up to Makima's desk.
"How is she?" Makima maintained her usual, unreadable expression.
"She hasn't recovered yet... but could Miss Makima please not kill her?" Denji rubbed the back of his head, hoping Makima would spare Power for the sake of them being colleagues.
"You came to find me just to ask me to spare Power?"
Makima slowly approached Denji, closing the distance between them. Their bodies were almost touching.
"Y-yes," Denji stammered, his face red with nerves.
But Makima lifted Denji's chin with her middle finger and spoke softly, "Have you forgotten your place?"
"Huh? My place?"
"That's right. The place of a dog."
Denji froze. The blush on his face vanished instantly.
Makima's expression hadn't changed at all, yet she emanated an overwhelmingly terrifying pressure. A pressure that rendered him entirely powerless to argue.
"How can a dog make demands of its owner? Shouldn't it just obediently follow its owner's commands?"
"I..." Denji felt like he was suffocating. He couldn't even form a complete sentence.
"If Power hasn't recovered by tomorrow, Denji-kun, you will kill her for me. Otherwise, I will kill you first, and then kill her!!"
Denji's body involuntarily stumbled backward. Unable to keep his footing, he fell heavily onto his rear.
He sat on the floor, his expression filled with absolute shock and terror.
"Alright, Denji-kun, run along now. Make sure you're ready to kill Power tomorrow, okay?"
"Ah!!"
Denji let out a scream and scrambled frantically out of the office.
Watching Denji flee, Makima simply offered a faint smile.
Meanwhile, Denji practically barged into Himeno's office in an absolute panic.
His sudden appearance startled everyone inside.
"Denji, what's wrong?" Himeno looked worried by his expression.
Aki Hayakawa remained calm, looking as if he already knew the outcome.
Only Arata unhurriedly walked over to Denji's side.
He had been eavesdropping on Denji and Makima's entire conversation. Naturally, he knew exactly why Denji had come running back screaming.
"Master, Miss Makima is terrifying."
"Your master understands. But don't be afraid. With your master here, nothing will happen to you."
"Miss Makima... she told me to kill Power tomorrow."
"What!!" Himeno suddenly shot up from her seat.
Only Arata calmly stated, "I know everything. But I won't let Makima kill Power. If it truly comes to that point, I will just put Makima to sleep forever."